Poke: February 2009 Archives

In an outrageous move, Hartford school officials are trying to close a day care program that helps students finish high school.

Yeah, you read that right.

By failing to appropriate about $135,000 for three staff members at the
Little Owls Learning Center at Hartford Public High School, district
officials have basically killed the program.

This, in a city, where only 36 percent of students graduate.

Where too many young girls end up with a baby than a high school diploma. Nearly 400 teenage girls in this city give birth last year.

And you can bet that those girls end up on city and state aid before falling deep into the cycle of poverty that, by the way, ends up costing a lot more than the $16,000 the program costs per child.

The program is simply too expensive, District spokesperson David Medina said.

But hey, don't put any of this on the district. In a sly move to skirt the blame, the district asked principals at Hartford Public High School to pay for the staff in their budgets. Surprise: When preliminary budgets were turned in this week, Little Owls was left out. Of course it was -- it's an easy cut.

Not to kill the messenger on this one, but since parents were so clearly dissatisfied with the district's communications department at a recent Board of Education meeting I attended. And since, as school officials keep reminding everyone, things are so tough that teachers and programs are being cut left and right, here's a thought.

Combined, the district's top two communications officers make $219,000. That would take care of the teacher's salaries, this year or about 13 kids.